Xai's Perspective

One of the hard decisions I made with Agent was to write the entire story from Xai's perspective. One of the tricks writers can use to conceal information is perspective, but here I was taking that tool away from myself. Being in Xai's head means you know what she's planning and thinking…most of the time.

There are ways around this that I do put to use. There are times in the story where she has to decide what she's doing on the fly and rather than slow the pacing I chose at times not to have her thoughts evident until after a decision.

Xai's training and instinct mean she can devise a plan on the fly. When this happens I provide a clue (Xai in one scene tears up some of her clothing and it's not evident why until a little bit later) but those trying to piece together what she's thinking probably can if they're as situatuonally aware.

I chose to keep this single perspective because this story is about Xai in the most intimate way. How did she come to be the person she is by the time Invasion comes around? The best way to understand that is to be shown, rather than told.

Xai is a complicated character to write because she's always shifting personality and I hope my writing makes it clear what is her and what is the cover. There are attitudes, and words, she uses that are clearly Xai the reader has a good idea of which is which. At times the switch is hard, a sudden change to violence when only her victim is around to see it.